Railway telephone and signal system



Feb'. 23, 1932. E. AlELLo RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Filed Sept. 27, 192? Feb. 23, 1932.

E. AlELLo .RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed sept. 27,r 1929 4 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb.- 23, 1932. E; AIELLO L8459983' RAILWAY TELEPHONE ND SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed sept'. 27, 1929 4 sheets-sheet :s

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY mm E Er/mSwZo 1 Feb. 23,' 1932. E. MELLO mgg RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed sept. 27, .1929 f 4 sheets-sheen 4 t y iw g i@ vf' EWWS@ BY ATTOR NEY Patented Feb. 23, 1932 wenn rice

ERNEST MELLO, or wanna wALLA,wasHrNGToN, AssIGNon. or ONE-HALF To JOHN sonnas, or wanna wanna, WASHINGTON, .aNn ONE-nenn 'ro JEAN siennes' SOUTEAS, OF CR'ISTDBAL, CANAL ZONE RAILWAY TELEPHONE AND SIGNAL SYSTEM This invention relates` to a railroad telephone and signal system, the general object of the invention being to provide means whereby an engineer on one train can have telephonie communication withV engineers oil other trains and with train dispatchers or other persons along the track, and with means whereby an engineer can tell whether or not the track is occupied by another train a number of sections `ahead of him or a number or sections in back of him.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, tobe hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specilically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which z Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one manner ot' carrying out the invention.

Figure 2 is a `sectional view of one of the trolley devices. l

Figure 3 is a section on line'S-S of Figure 2.

Figure l is a plan view showing means for connecting two of the aerial members together and to insulate one member Jfrom the other.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5 of 'Figure 4.

Figure G is a section on line 66 of Figure 4;.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is anfelevation, partly in section, showing the means for electrically connecting together the rails of a track section, with means for breaking the .connection if the rails should spread.

Figure 9 is a sectional view showing the means for insulating a rail of one track sectio-n from ya rail of another trac-k section.

Figure l() is a view showing a track arrangement.

Fig-urell is .a view of a semaphore ,which .50 may be used with the invention.

Application filed September 27, 1929. Serial No. 395,666.,

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view showing a modification.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic-view showing the invention used with a crossing signal.

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view showing another. mo diication.

ln these drawings, the letters A, B, C and D indicate the insulated-track sections of a railroad track over which trains pass from right to left in Figure 1. The numeral 1 indicates a forwardly extending aerial connected with one en d of each section and the numeral 2 indicates a rearwardly extending aerial connected with the other end of each track section. Each aerial 1 consists of a pair oi' conductors connected together at their upper ends, withone conductor connected to a rail 3 and the other conductorconnected toa line wire 4, the other line wire 5 being connected to the other rail dof the section, as shown Each aerial 2 also consists of a pair of conductors connected together at their upper ends, with the lower end of one conductor connected with the rail 3 and the lower end of the other conductor connected with the rail 6, so that current will flow from the line wire t over the forwardly extending aerial 1, back to the rail 3, through said rail and through the rearwardly extending aerial 2 back to the rail 6 and through said rail 6 and the conductor 7 tothe line wire 5.

`rihe horizontal part of the aerial 1 of one track section parallels the aerial 2 of the sec'- ond track sectionin front of the section in question. sec-tion A parallels the aerial 2 of the track section C, with the two parallel parts of the ae-rials 1 and 2 arranged over the section B. Each train, one of which is shown diagrammatically at T, carries a pair of trolley arrangements E and F, each arrangement consisting of the pair of uprights 8 connected together at their upper ends by afshaft 9 on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 10 covered with non-conducting material l1 and a pair of metal sleeves 12 and 13 on the nonconducting material, with their :inner .ends spaced apart and with their outer ends spaced from the uprights, so that these sleeves 12 and For instance, the aerial- 1 of track "train `is' located.

13 are insulated from the uprights and from each other. A brush 1A is carried by each post and engages the sleeve 12 or 13 adjacent the post, and the brushes of trolley E are connected by the conductors 15 with a meter 16 or other indicating device on the train and the brushes of trolley F are connected by wires lrto meter 16. The trolleyE is so positioned that itssleeves 12 and 13 will engage the two conductors of the rearwardly extending aerials and the trolley F will have its sleeves 12 and 13 engage the two conductors of the forwardly extending aerials. t

A pair of shoes 17 is so carried by a part of the train that they will engage the rails ot the Vtracky and conductors 18 pass from these shoes into a part oi the trainand are connected with a meter 19 or other indicating device..- Atelephone 20 is arranged in the cab 4or'other part of the train and can be connected with the wires of either the trolley E or Athe 'trolleyf F," and a telephone 21 is connected :by the conductors 22 with the line wiifesffand 5.f rl`he connections for telephone 2*'1 maybe permanent, but in order to make,eitherconnection for phone 20, which maybe desired, switch S of Figure 1 cooperates with 'contacts included in the respective circuits'l, 15x-whereas switch S places phoneQO in communication with the other side ofthe circuit whichvis to be used. This initurii depends upon whether communication is to be established through trolley E or trolley F. 4* `Fronfi the foregoing it will be cseen that when a train is in block A, forinstance, its trolley E will engage the rearwardly extending aerial V2 of block section B, while`the`trolley F will engage the forwardly extending aerial 1 et block section D, with'theshoes 17 ot the train engaging the tra-ckrails otthefsection A on which the Thusthe meter 16 of trolley llwvill indicate whether or not the circuit oie.v the rails rof block section B and its ials'f1'and2-.are inproperorder, and the meterl of trolleyF will kindicate whether or not the circuitofl the rails of block section LVDfa'nd itsaerial'sare infproper order. The

19 o1 the shoe' arrangement willv indilcatewhether orv not the circuitoi: the rails of ion LAand vits aerrials are in pro-perorder, for if any, ot thec'ircuits should be broken, the iiieterfwould register Zero and thus the enfgineergwould know thatsomething is out of Yorder#V `Due tothe fact that the rear ends of the` aerialsZand the forward ends of the aerials 1 are-farthest from thesource of sup- ;ply, a-train moving from right to left over eachftiaclrsec'tion will have'its meter lGshow gradually increasing readings as the trolley E -movesoyer the aerial. 2-and its meter 16 will show gradually deereasirig readings as the vtrolleyF moves over the aerial1. The meters areyot-course, suitably calibratedso that the engineer can, by glancing at the readings,

Vascertain his position in the block.

lf there is a train in section B, there would be no current in aerial 2 over section A as the circuit would be short-circuited .by the train in section B. Thus the meter 16 of the train in section A would register zero so that the engineer of the train in section A would know that'th'ere is a train in the section aheadof him. Y' i' 1f there is a train in section C, the passage ot current through the trolley F thereof would affect the meter 16 of a train `in section A so that the engineer-of the train in section A could tell that therev was a train in block G or the second block in Jfront of it. A train in section or block D would also affect the meter 16 of a train in block A so that the engineer of the train in block A would know that there was a train fol-lowing him.`

By vconnecting the telephone 20'with'the wires of trolley E, the engineer of a train 0n section A can get in vcommunication with the engineers of trains on track section B, and by connecting the telephone with the trolley F, the engineer o1 the train on section A can get in communication with the engineers of trains on section D. The engineers can also get in communication with a train despatcher or other person through the telephone 21, so that such person' can get in communication with the engineers of mov- Ving. trains. Thus the engineers of moving trains can get in touch with stations along the track and with4 each other, at least to the extent specified.

An engineer occupying track section A and employing telephone 20, makes connection by switches S S withthe circuit 15., trolley E,

and aerial Wire or trolley wire 2, extending to the respective rails of track section B. fA train assumed to be in this section B will carry telephone equipment, suitably energized, adapted to receive communications through track or aerial equipment similar to that illustrated at the right in Figure 1.

Y Communication between trains on track section B and track section A (in the direction B to A) is by similar apparatus, but trolley F then cooperates with aerial wire 1 of section B which is shown Vto be in communication with the track rails of section A through battery B.

iaaese in order to boostl the current, batteries B are connected with the line wires l4 and 5, as shown in Figure 1and these batteries are preferably placed adjacentthe points where the line wires'are connected with the aerials and track sections.

The aerials may be supported in any desired manner and I prefer to connect the adjacent ends of the aerials together, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, which show a sleeve 23 for connecting a conductor of one aerial with a conductor of another aerial, the sleeve being formed of insulating material, with its bottom open and with a partition 24 at its center for separating the two conductors, as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. The sleeve is so formed as to grip the conductors, as shown in Figure 6. Each pair of conductors of each aerial is electrically connected together by the cross piece 25 and the vertical portions of the aerials are connected with the horizontal portions, as shownv at 26 in` Figure 4.

Figure 10 shows at 27Ythe rails on each side 0I" an insulated track section, the rails Y having their ends insulated from each other,

as shown at 28, with the ends of the rails electrically connected together by the yoke members 29. Each of these members 29v passes through a two-part casing 30 carried by an upright 31 which is supported for vertical movement in a socket 32 formed in a block 33 supported in the track bed. These parts are shown in detail in Figures 7 and 8. This arrangement will permit the` rails to have limited vertical movement, but iii' the rails should spread, the lateral movement of the member 29 in the member 30 would break said ,Y member 29, so that the circuit between the two rails would be broken and thus an engineer approaching the spread rails would know from his meter that the circuit has been broken. Y

The sections are, of course, insulated from each other, as shown at 32', and Figure 9 shows the specific construction of the means for connecting together the rails of twoV sections, with rails insulated. As shown in this figure, insulating material 33 is placed between the ends of the rails and the ish plates 34 and around the bolts 35 which connect the i'ish plates with the rails.

A semaphore arrangement may be placed Vat the end of each aerial, as shown at 36 in Figure 12. Figure 11 shows one of these semaphores as comprising an upright 37 and an arm 38 which is preferably formed with a lamp 39. This semaphore is preferably so constructed that the arm will remain in raised position as long as the current is passing through the device, but as soon as the circuit Yis broken, the arm will drop. Thissemaphore willV indicate to a track walker whether or not the circuit is in proper order and it will also indicate to an engineer approaching the semaphore whether or not the circuit is in proper order. a

Figure 12 also shows an arrangement somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 1, but with the circuits connected with each rail of the track, so that an engineer can tell which rail and the circuitsthereof are out of order. This figure also shows a pair of bat? 'sidev of thetrackis connected with one oi' the rails, as shown at 41, and a conductor 42 connects the lampwith the alarm and lamp on the opposite side of the track, anda conductor 43 connects thealarm and lamp Ywith a battery G which is connected by a conductor 44 with the railradjace-nt the alarm. Thus when a train enters the track section adjacent the crossing, the circuit'of the alarm and v lamps will be completed through the parts of the train so that the lamps will be lighted and the alarm sounded to indicate to persons about to cross the crossing that a train is approaching. p

Figure 14 shows ran arrangement in which Vthe aerials are connected to one side of each track section and with a conductor45 connecting the conductor of therearwardlyextending aerial with a line wire, so that the second rail is not used as a conductor.

1t is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention willb'e readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. Asignal system for railways comprising a track divided into a plurality of sections insulated fromeach other, a forwardly extending .aerial connected with one end of each section and extending over the section in front thereof, a rearwardly extending aerial connected with the other end of each section and extending over Vthe next section behind the section in question, each aerial consisting orn a pair of conductors having their upper ends ccnnectedtogether, with one. conductor of each pair of aerials connected with one of the rails of the section, means for connecting thev otherV conductorof the aerials with a 4source of supply, whereby the current will l'ow through both aerials and a rail of the section, a pair of trolley members onv'each train, eachmember consistingA oa vpair of v llo i fx .3

aerial engaging members insulated from each other, with one member engaging one'conductor of anaerial and the other the other conductor, one trolley engaging the forwardly extending aerials and the other trolley the rearwardly extending aerials, indicatingl each aerial for indicating whether the circuit of eachtrack section and its aerials are in proper order. Y'

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. y

ERNEST MELLO i rality of sections insulated from each other .l

a forwardly extending aerial connected with one end of each track section, a rearwardly extending aerial connected with the otherend of each track section, each aerial consisting of a pair of :conductors having their upper ends connected vtogether and one conductor connected with a rail of the section, with the other conductor of the rearwardly extending aerial connected with the secondrail, line wires, one of which is connected with said second rail and the other with the second condnc'tor of the forwardly extending aerial, a pair of trolley members on a train,each me1nber consisting of two insulated parts, 'one engaging one conductor of an aerial and the other the other conductor thereof, with one trolley engaging` the rearwardly extending aerials and the other trolley the forwardly extending aerials, indicating means electrically connected with the members of each trolley, shoes engaging the rails of the track sections, indicating means electrically connected with said shoes, a telephone on each train, means for connecting the same with either one of the trolleys and a telephone connected with the line wires. I

'3L A signal system for railways comprising a trackV composed of a plurality of sections insulated from eac-h other, a forwardly extending aerial connected with one end of each track section, a rearwardly extending aerial connected with the other end of each track section, each aerial consisting ofa pair of conductors having their upper ends connected together and one conductor connected with a rail of the section, with the other conductorrof the rearwardlyfextending aerial Vconnected with the second rail, line wires, one

^o'fwhi'ch is connected with said second rail and the other with the second conductor of theforwardly extending aerial, a pair of trolley members on a train, each member consisting of two insulatedl parts, one engaging 'one conductor of an aerial and the other the 'other conductor thereof, with one trolley engaging the rearwardly extending aerials and the other trolley lthe Y*forwardly extending aerials, indicating means electrically connected with the members of each trolley, shoes engagingthe rails of the track sections, indicatingmeans electrically connected with said shoes, and -`a-signal device connected with 

